Wednesday, August 13, 2008

VH1 Hip Hop Honors Says "Not Yet" To The South

So, Eskay just posted up this years list of VH1 Hip Hop Honorees...and, I can't say I'm too disappointed. They definitely made up for last years obvious ploy at boosting ratings. But damn...when they gonna start letting from folks from Down South in?

I mean, I'm not gonna fool myself into thinking that VH1 will ever honor groups like UGK or 8Ball & MJG. I'm willing to bet money that most of the folks on that staff that makes these shows probably first heard of UGK either right after "Big Pimpin" or in the years between Free Pimp C and R.I.P. Pimp C. As for Ball & G...ha. If the people behind the show were to read this entry...they'd probably think that when I go from saying 8Ball & MJG and Ball & G, that I'm talking about two completely different groups. So that's that.

But, I am kinda let down that neither Oukast, Geto Boys (at least Scarface) nor 2 Live Crew are being recognized this year. I mean, if they gonna recognize Naughty By Nature, Too $hort (which I'm very happy about) and Cypress Hill...why not 2 Live Crew and GB.

I mean, 2 Live Crew pretty much made it possible for most of these rappers to use (and abuse) the in-your-face language that they use to sell records. I mean, if there was no 2 Live Crew, there probably would be no "O.P.P." Plus, they fought against the government over censorship...love or hate what the deregulation of what can be said on recorded music has led to...that event deserves to be honored.

I am happy to see Cypress Hill get some props too. But I mean, they couldn't honor Geto Boys too? I mean, if my memory serves me correctly, both groups came into prominince around the same time. Well, at least my rear end remembers it that way. Listening to We Can't Be Stopped and Til Death Do Us Part got me in just as much trouble as Cypress Hill did. I'm sure the show will make mention of some of Cyrpess' politically charged music as it pertained to foul cops and legalizing weed. But damn, Geto Boys had their share of music like that too. Didn't they? Plus, wasn't Cypress considered "gangsta rap" at some point? It don't get any more gangsta than Geto Boys (unless you're named Ice-T).

And...for the Outkast omission? I'm starting to assume that VH1 Hip Hop Honors are (for the most part) meant to honor rappers that are either past their primes and won't be dropping dope albums, or albums period, anytime soon. Which is why people got kinda upset when Wu-Tang got honored amidst the more "old-school" acts. The same reason why I said "what the fugg?" when they honored Missy last year.

Outkast, as well as Geto Boys and/or Scarface by himself (not sure about Willie D and Bushwick bill alone), are still very much capable of dropping dope ass albums tomorrow if they wanted. That's one of the things that makes this Southern Hip Hop so beautiful is that most of the founders are still around and still put out some dope shit. That said, I believe that De La Soul can and will continue to put out dope and relevant music in the future...so why not honor Kast for essentially being able to do the same thing. Yeah, I know De La came out in 88-89 and Kast came out in 92-93...I give you that. But, Kast should be up there with them.

I don't know, maybe I'm just being a little impatient. Maybe the VH1 Hip Hop Honors show plans on honoring 'Kast, Geto Boys and 2 Live Crew next year....hopefully along with E-40.

UPDATE: There's a heated discussion about this going on at OkayPlayer if you cared to join...

A lot of people have their sense of time distorted too, you're right about that. Not many realize that Outkast have been in the game even longer than Nas (who everybody looks to as a real veteran). Partly because Outkasts best selling album was Speakerboxxx/Love below which came out in 2003, and the really ignorant crowd probably hadn't even heard about them until then.

guess honoring 2 Live Crew for fighting censorship is som like honoring Larry Flynt for that

i'm totally for it, but american society and establishment look kinda puritanic for that to happen, plus fight egainst censorship is after all a fight against the the establishment itself, which is pretty much hypocrite

Sorry d.d. your WRONG! Outkast came in the game after Nas...I was living in the A when Kast came out and Nas was already out in 9o on Main Sources "Live At the Barbecue", then in 91 on M.C. Serch;s "Back To The Grill Again". Know your history!!

Dont get it fukked up I love the south...one of the few "upnorf" niggas listenin to Shy -d in the early 80's. I cant lie I'm tired of this Hip-Hop Civil war shit!!! Niggas be like oh NY wasnt showin us no love...cryin like babies. That shit is sooooo 80's. If you go to NY U dont even hear NY artist on the radio. You hear the SOUTH!!! Not only do u hear them... niggas love it. I love my south brethren but now that the ball is in yall court yall aint doin nothin for region relation in Hip-Hop yall becoming just as arrogant as New Yorkers!!! Yall can wait to be honored on VH1. Just like yall waited to show the world yall had some thing to say. Have some respect for those that paved the way. Its all black music....since when we need Vh1 to validate hiphop. They just started playing hiphop anyway.